Gold award success for Hutt City organisations
<p>Success by four Hutt City companies at the Wellington Gold awards on 31 May was a great achievement for the city, says Mayor Ray Wallace.</p>
<p>The winners were -</p>
<ul>
<li>
Discovering Gold Award, Black Gold by GNS</li>
<li>
Emerging Gold Award, I’m Able</li>
<li>
Supporting Gold Award, NZ Diving and Salvage</li>
<li>
ACC Workplace Award, Safety,</li>
<li>
Kiwirail Hutt Workshop</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>“The economic potential identified in the GNS Black Gold project will benefit New Zealand while companies like I’m Able show the potential for innovation and a good idea,” the Mayor says.</p>
<p>“We have long promoted Hutt City as a centre for science innovation and GNS is proof of our strength in this area.</p>
<p>“New Zealand Diving and Salvage have been in Hutt City for more than 30 years and have demonstrated high levels of expertise over that time leading to this year’s award.“The ACC award to the Kiwi Rail Hutt Workshop maintains a tradition of companies based in Hutt City achieving success in the area of safety.</p>
<p>“These gold awards will help promote Hutt City as the place to be for innovative companies seeking to expand and grow. Emerging small companies like I’m-Able have identified a market opportunity and addressed a large gap between rehabilitation therapy and expensive intervention.</p>
<p>“Our council is providing a business stimulus package in the coming financial year which will provide the help needed for many emerging companies by generating more economic activity within our city.</p>
<p>“Overall this a great result for Hutt City and our potential for growth and prosperity through innovation and proven expertise in specialised fields,” the Mayor says.</p>
<p><strong>Discovering Gold Award - Black Gold by GNS Science</strong></p>
<p>Oil and gas is NZ’s Third largest export earner. NZ’s offshore petroleum basins which to date are largely unexplored and undeveloped may be capable of yielding 24 trillion barrels of oil worth an estimated $4 trillion. The development of these resources will have a significant impact on our future standard of living. To help facilitate the exploration of these oil and gas resources GNS Science has developed an innovative range of scientific analysis and data products to help exploration companies find oil and gas in New Zealand. Known as the Petroleum Exploration and Geosciences Initiative (PEGI) the project represents a giant leap forward in delivering technical and scientific information on New Zealand’s petroleum potential to the exploration industry, which will increase the attractiveness and ease of investing in exploration.</p>
<p><strong>Emerging Gold Award - I’m-Able</strong></p>
<p>I’m-Able’s affordable products help people recover from stroke and regain their independence in their own environment. Their product and systems accelerate the arm movements, balance and cognition of people affected by stroke, thus enhancing their independence. The market opportunity is to address the large gap in patient therapy between rudimentary rehabilitation products and very expensive interventions such as the use of robots or time intensive one on one professional care. I’m-Able’s first product has been available since 2010 and two more products are planned for 2013. Their home friendly neuro rehabilitation devices and exercise games may also have a wider use for other neurological disorders.</p>
<p><strong>Supporting Gold Award - NZ Diving & Salvage</strong></p>
<p>NZDS is one of New Zealand largest and most experienced commercial diving companies specialising in; marine construction, subsea geotechnical and seabed proofing investigations, pipeline installations, hydro installations, in water vessel servicing, marine energy installations and submarine cable burial. Now in its 30th year NZDS is based in Seaview where its four vessel fleet is berthed at Seaview Marina. NZDS is led by a team with a range of experience and expertise and has developed an excellent core base of contractors and networks with specialist engineering and environmental firms which enable them to provide complete solutions to any project.</p>
<p><strong>ACC Workplace Safety Award - Kiwirail Hutt Workshops</strong></p>
<p>Located in the Hutt since 1929 the Hutt workshops current workforce of nearly 200 staff maintains Kiwirail’s fleet of diesel locomotives along with the regions electric passenger train fleet. Dealing with a range of heavy engineering requirements the workshops have been recognised for their safe working practices.</p>